New eye implant could replace the need for glasses

New eye implant could replace the need for glasses

Researchers in California have developed an eye implant which could see the end of reading glasses for over 1.3 million Australians.

New eye implant could replace the need for glasses

The Raindrop is a corneal inlay that has been distributed to a select few opthalmologists in Australia and New Zealand. It is a very small 2mm wide restorative disc which is placed in the eye – enhancing corneal function and focus.

Primarily this implant is used to combat long-sightedness, or presbiyopia, an eye condition very common in people over the age of 40 that hinders their ability to focus on nearby objects.

With the procedure taking just ten minutes, the Raindrop could see the end of much longer and more expensive treatments such as laser eye surgery, however it could still leave patients requiring glasses in dim lighting conditions.

“The reading vision is not as good as with glasses but it gives people a degree of freedom to see a menu in a restaurant, an SMS on a phone or a pricetag in a shop,” stated Dr Co Moshegov, a leading ophthalmologist from Zealand who has started offering this treatment to his patients.

The Raindrop’s distribution is still in early days, with very limited access to it worldwide. While prices are likely to alter as it becomes more available, it currently costs between $3500-$4000 AUD.